My Life is a Musical
by StrawberryPajamas
Summary: I have plenty of suitors of my own." Quinn doesn't believe her when Rachel claims to have a boyfriend, so Rachel makes a bold move just to prove her wrong. Scene from Showmance with a little twist. Puck/Rachel
1. Chapter 1

**R POV**

Rachel Berry always felt like she was on stage. Every move she made, every emotion that crossed over her face, she liked to think she had an audience watching her, waiting to be entertained. Keeping that constant frame of mind, Rachel thought, was excellent practice for when she will be a star. As she walked down the hallway to class, she would imagine the band in her head playing a fast-paced tune. When she walked through a door, the music would finish on a triumphant note, welcoming her into the room. During a quiet study hall, the flutes and strings would play a soft, slow ballad. And when all chaos broke loose, the cymbals would crash.

Not only was this way of thinking good practice, it was also quite fun.

While Quinn and Finn argued fervently a few lockers down from her, Rachel tried to hide the fact she was eavesdropping by turning her back to them and surreptitiously going through the things in her locker. She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and closed her eyes, thinking that this moment in her life could be best played along Bach's Tocotta and Fugue in D minor. The haunting score made her feel like she were on stage, and at this time she was sneaking around stealthily.

She hunched her shoulders ever so slightly, trying to hide her face from view. Through her small, purple compact mirror, she saw Finn walking away and Quinn's beautiful blond ponytail swinging as she turned to glare at Rachel.

"Eavesdrop, much?"

_Uh oh._

Rachel turned around to face the cheerio head-on, trying to feel unafraid of the impending wrath of the Chastity Queen. Quinn stopped in front her, eyes squinting and nostrils flaring.

"Time for some girl-talk, Manhands. You can dance with him, you can sing with him. But you will _never_ have him."

Quinn's voice was vindictive, but Rachel refused to be intimidated. Instead, she switched the song in her head to another, more recent one:

_I'm in the business of misery,  
Let's take it from the top.  
She's got a body like an hourglass, it's ticking like a clock.  
It's a matter of time before we all run out,  
When I thought he was mine she caught him by the mouth._

Normally, Rachel detested the alternative rock genre that was Paramore, but right now, the lyrics were rather perfect. They gave her the confidence to hold her head up high and confront the head cheerleader.

"I understand how you might be threatened, but Finn and I have made a connection. And I'm an honorable person: I don't need to 'steal' your man. I have plenty of suitors of my own."

That last statement was a downright lie though. Rachel may have had a rockin' body (which she knew, no doubt about that) but no guy was willing to put up with her and her, well... _craziness _I guess one could call it. Rachel preferred to think of it as them just being 'intimidated by her phenomenol success'.

Rachel could see the skepticism growing on Quinn's heart-shaped face, and Rachel gulped, trying to concentrate on the words:

_I waited eight long months,  
She finally set him free.  
I told him I can't lie he was the only one for me.  
Two weeks and we had caught on fire,  
She's got it out for me,  
But I wear the biggest smile._

"_You_ have a boyfriend? _Tuh! _Oh, please tell me its that deaf emo kid who spends like four hours a day hiding in the darkroom."

Rachel sputtered, "Of course not!" and blinked rapidly. She was lying, and Quinn knew it. Rachel had to save face, and fast. She couldn't look so guilty with Quinn so close to her. She _certainly_ couldn't look so jumbled and confused with an audience watching every move she made.

_Chin up... Shoulders back... Eyes bright... Big smile..._

Rachel pressed her lips together, going over these basic rules of confidence. She wasn't going to let Quinn talk her down about this matter.

"In fact, I can prove it." Rachel suddenly said assuredly. She had a brief glimpse of the blonde's glossy lips parting slightly in shock before she spun around, her eyes roaming all around the crowded hallway. She was looking for something, _anything_ to prove to Quinn she was not just an unattractive loser...

Rachel's eyes suddenly snapped onto Noah Puckerman and his football cronies, who were walking her way with large slushies in hand and self-satisfied grimaces in place. Rachel couldn't help but smile when she noticed them.

_Whoa, whatever makes you break  
But, I got him where I want him now.  
Whoa, it was never my intention to brag  
To steal it all away from you now.  
But God does it feel so good,  
Cause I got him where I want him now.  
And if you could then you know you would.  
Cause God it just feels so...  
It just feels so good._

It was showtime.

Rachel turned her head for one last glance at Quinn before she squared her shoulders and stalked her way toward the band of gorilla-sized boys in her line of vision.

***  
**P POV**

Puck loved the smell of the 7-11 where he bought his most chuck-worthy slushies in the morning. It smelled like... like his totally unquestionable bad-assness. Yeah, that was a good way to put it.

Puck totally knew today was going to be a good day. His sister had made him breakfast that morning. And if he picked around the burnt crusty edges of the egg and didn't hold the toast in his mouth for too long, it wasn't bad. But after he nearly suffocated on an eggshell hidden in the mass of black, he just ruffled her hair, saying she made one hell of a glass of orange juice, causing her to beam with pride. Also, his mom had finally done the laundry, so his favorite shirt was clean. You know, the gray one that showed off his guns like nobody's business? Yeah, that one.

Well, anyway Karofski and his gang came early to pick him up and take him to the gas station by his house so he could go for a dip and slushie run. The first one of the month, which was _always_ epic.

As Puck joked around with his football buddies and as he filled the oversized cup with pink slush, he couldn't help but feel optimistic for the day...

***

"What the...?"

Puck wasn't really sure what was going on, but he knew it wasn't right. He was just casually strutting down the hallway with his friends, about ready to toss the slushie in that freak Berry's face. He expected her to do what she always did when she noticed them: stand board-stiff, squeeze her eyes shut, and wait for the icy blast of frozen corn syrup that was about to slosh her in the face.

What she _wasn't _supposed to do when she noticed them was look at them with a creepy look in her eyes and stalk up to them with an air of confidence. Hence the 'What the...?'

But Puck wouldn't allow himself to be caught dumb by this unexpected occurrence. Instead, he just smirked coolly when she stopped directly in front of him.

"Finally handing in the towel, Berry?" he asked casually, "Maybe tomorrow you could j--"

But he never finished the sentence before the completely unthinkable happened: Rachel grabbed the sides of his face and kissed him square on the lips. Puck was so shocked by this he actually dropped the slushie to the ground, spraying icy cold all over their shoes. She pressed closer to him, holding his head in a death grip, and Puck instinctively closed his eyes. Her lips were soft and sweet, despite how forceful she was being, and Puck responded by opening his lips ever so slightly. Rachel's clutch on his head finally dropped to his shoulders, and she gave a small sigh, almost a mere breath into him.

The jocks were jeering and shouting something, but Puck didn't hear them. He just touched a hand lightly to her waist, trying to bring her closer to him.

Rachel finally tore herself away from him, slipping out of his grasp and looking into his eyes. Puck saw that she looked a little fearful, her eyes darting away from him and toward the freedom of beyond the idiot football players.

"I'm... uh... I'm sorry," she stuttered, looking away. Puck just looked at her, still in shock.

She finally managed to look up at him, and he saw she looked absolutely terrified, "I gotta go."

She spun around and flew away, probably toward the safety of the women's bathroom or the the choir room. Puck just stared blankly after her, still processing what had just happened.

Puck almost made Karofski punch him in the arm, just so he could be sure he was completely awake.

* * *

**A/N: Hope you guys like it so far! I know that Rachel's song was Misery Business and I know its totally cheesy, but I thought it was appropriate. So sue me:P**

**This next week is going to be completely busy, so I may not update as soon as I may like:( I'm just warning you in advance. But dont hesitate to review anyway and tell me what you think!!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow, you guys have been awesome! I've gotten such amazing feedback so far on this story, I'm simply astounded. Thank you all, for making my Christmas:)**

**Chapter two is up! Thank you for being so patient. I had a great time writing it, so I hope you have a great time reading it.**

**Happy Holidays!**

*******

**Q POV**

"Rachel Berry. Kissed. Noah Puckerman--" Quinn spoke slowly and dramatically.

"--On the lips--" Santana continued to her left.

"--In the middle of the hallway--" Brittany nodded emphatically from her right.

"--In front of _everybody_." Quinn finished smugly, watching the looks of horror on her audience's faces with satisfaction.

"Oh my God!" several sophomores said at once. They all began chatting loudly.

"-- I heard they were full-on making out." a blond whispered to her friend to their left

"-- _I_ heard they've been sexting for months and they finally got together a few weeks ago." an Asian girl informed her tall, red-haired boyfriend.

"That's _so _romantic!"

"No Brittany, it's not!" Quinn insisted on her dumb blonde friend. Her, Brittany, and Santana were standing in the center of a large circle of people who had gathered in the hallway to hear Quinn's account of what had happened that morning. Everybody was chattering about the rumors they had heard around school, but most just wanted to hear an eyewitness's description about the McKinley-Wide Famous Kiss.

"Yeah Brittany, it's completely disgusting," Santana parroted, a sneer etched on her olive face. Santana was rather upset about the whole situation, seeing as she had been particularly enamored by Puck ever since they had made out once in the boys locker room last March. The jealousy practically emanated off of her zit-free skin.

"I totally agree," Quinn flipped her long, blonde ponytail and turned her head to the left, showing off her good side. Even though the last thing she wanted to think about was watching that Berry freak all over her boyfriend's best friend, she quite enjoyed the attention she was getting because of it. "Them sucking face right in the middle of a public high school is an image I wouldn't mind getting out of my head."

"So they'redating?" a short freshmen with black hair and goth makeup's eyes widened as she addressed Quinn.

Quinn turned up her nose to the girl and placed a hand on her hip, making quite clear that she was superior to such insignificant people as freshmen. "Puh-lease! If they're a couple, then _I'm _not going to be in the running for homecoming queen this year."

A few titters ran across the crowd when Brittany turned to Quinn, confused, "Wait, I thought you _were_ in the running for homecoming queen this year."

Santana rolled her eyes, "_Duh_ Brittany, that's why Puck and Rachel can't be a couple!"

Brittany knit her eyebrows and began counting on her fingers, trying to figure out the math, while Quinn continued. "They aren't a couple. Miss Berry Manhands just was being bold and put on a little show for the whole school to prove me wrong."

This captured the people's interest. They began talking amongst themselves more animatedly then ever, and the three cheerios just stood proudly among the chaos they created.

Over the heads of the students that had formed a tight circle around them, Quinn noticed the familiar stripe of hair floating above all the heads of the people bustling about in the hallway, probably heading over to his favorite gas station to find his favorite chuckable slushie.

"I'm bored," Quinn suddenly announced, and that was the cue for everybody except Santana and Brittany to get out of her sight. They all wandered away, still whispering among themselves about this most recent development. Quinn turned to her friends.

"Well, ladies, looks like our work here is done." Quinn sighed as she spoke. "I'll see you after school at practice, okay?"

Santana nodded and hooked her arm through Brittany's. "C'mon Britt, there's a cute guy from my homeroom I want to talk to."

Brittany just looked dazedly puzzled, "Wait, if he lives in your home, doesn't that make him your brother or something...?"

Santana merely rolled her eyes and tugged Brittany down the hallway toward their destination while Quinn spun around and headed in the other direction, toward the partly-shaved head of the football stud in which she had a bone to pick with.

***

**P POV**

"Suprised to see you're not swallowing the lips off Mariah 'Berry' right now--"

Puck snapped out of his thoughts and turned around to see the blonde ponytail and sneering face of the Queen of the Purity Ball herself. Everyone else in the hallway seemed to have disappeared into a classroom or some after-school activity, because him and Quinn were the only ones left in the hall now. He put on his best contemptuous look as he stared her down.

She chuckled slightly, "--Oh, but of course, there isn't anybody watching you right now, so what's the point?"

Puck growled and turned to leave, "Ha ha. Shouldn't 'Her Royal Bitchy-ness' be off organizing some sort of Abstinence Potluck or something?"

Quinn stepped around him and blocked his path, "Not so fast, Puckerman: You and I need to have a little chat. About you and our little Miss Rachel What's-Her-Name."

Puck glared at her sourly, "What about her?"

"Well, word on the street is... you two are dating." Quinn looked in satisfaction as Puck's eyes flashed.

"Yeah, that is the word... after you said it." Puck clenched his fists, wishing this whole situation would just evaporate from everyone's minds forever.

"--The point is," Quinn rolled her eyes, continuing. "--that I don't think you guys _are_ dating..."

Puck was about to agree with her vehemently when she suddenly went on, "... because you're too much of an idiot to be capable of an actual relationship with another human being."

Puck saw red at this remark. Where did she get off, standing in the way of him and his destination, calling him an idiot? Obviously him and that Berry freak weren't dating, but why did she have to go out and call him names and crap like that? Puck glared at her, trying to burn holes into her skin with his eyes.

Quinn took a step closer to him so that their faces were mere inches apart. It would have been hot if Quinn wasn't looking at him as if he were something she scraped off the bottom of her shoe. "Admit it, Noah Puckerman: You could never have a relationship beyond that of your pool-cleaning business and the forty-five year old cougars you think for some reason are hot."

So she was going to play it like that, huh? Puck leaned in closer, feeling the heat of her breath on his upper lip, "I don't have to admit _shit _to you." he hissed. At that moment, he would've said anything just to contradict her.

Quinn's lip curled, "You think you're better than me?"

Puck sneered, "I know so."

"Well," Quinn tilted her head to the left, "A girl like Rachel Berry is _hardly _out of your league then, right?" her eyes narrowed.

Puck didn't respond; just glared at her, hoping his eyes would send a message.

Quinn laughed, "I'll take that as a yes. Well, this is quite a development: 'The Football God and the Singing Sensation'. How fitting." she quipped, spinning around, her ponytail flying. "Your mom must be _so proud_ you're dating a Jew."

Puck was completely silent as Quinn sauntered away, throwing casually over her shoulder, "See you two tomorrow, then." She disappeared around the corner.

Puck just stood, frozen solid, in the middle of the hallway, and absolutely certain of only two things:

A: That Quinn Fabray was a total and complete bitch, and

B: He had just claimed to be dating Rachel Berry.

This could get messy. That was for sure.

* * *

**Please review! And sorry again for the delay. The holidays are a crazy time of year... **

**PS: for those who are wondering, Quinn is **_**not**_** pregnant in this fic. Her "attitude" I guess you could call it in this chapter is for other reasons to be divulged later.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I realize that in this part of the story Puck acts totally evil toward Rachel, but i promise that it is crucial to the rest of the story. Please don't be angry, and I hope you still enjoy!!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its affiliates.**

*******

**R POV**

_**The Next Day**_

_The sun'll come out tomorrow  
__Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow  
__There'll be sun..._

Rachel Berry tried with every fiber of her being to have the words of her third favorite Broadway musical song wash over her; to soothe her. But it worked to no extent.

_Just thinkin' about tomorrow  
__Clears away the cobwebs and the sorrow  
__Til' there's none!_

It didn't work because the fact still remained that she had actually walked up to Noah Puckerman in the middle of the hallway in front of the whole school (teachers included) and kissed him right on the lips. She had officially embarrassed herself (for the 327th time) at this school, and all of the musicals and breathing exercises and stress-relief candles in the world couldn't change that.

Rachel slammed her locker shut, grateful for only one thing. Well, two things if she counted the cute pencil with the gold stars on it with the watermelon-scented eraser from her dads she found in her lunchbox for her daily lunchtime present that day. But it was about the fact that the school day was over now and that she could practice some songs she was working on for glee in peace. For once, she was happy that glee didn't have rehearsals today.

She determinedly walked down the hallway toward the choir room, trying to ignore the snickers and elbow shoves from her fellow classmates. She just focused on the words:

_Tomorrow, tomorrow  
__I love ya' tomorrow  
__It's always a day away!_

Rachel finally arrived at the choir room, not without some minor abrasions and stubbed toes from a few enthusiastic jocks back by the Health classroom. But she had made it in one piece and without a single slushie dripping from her hair. She considered that to be a good thing.

She threw open the doors to the music room (her favorite room in the school, other than possibly the girls bathroom on the second floor) and stepped in. And what she saw almost made her drop the lyrics sheets she was carrying in her hands that she swiped from Mr. Schu the other day all over the floor.

Noah Puckerman was there, sitting at the piano, and plunking on the keys with one hand. Out of tune.

The absolute nerve of him!

***

**P POV**

He had to be honest: Puck never really thought about anything. Ever. Like if he was in one of those Indiana Jones movies, and he would have to pick out the cup of Christ, he would like find the coolest one of the bunch and pick that one, without even giving it a single thought. That's how devoted he was to being a mindless drone of a teenager.

But over yesterday and most of today, Puck was thinking hard. Like, 'hearing the tea kettle go off and steam shooting out of your ears' kind of hard. He had to think about Rachel and what the most random kiss ever came from. Also, about what Quinn said. He believed 'too much of an idiot to be capable of an actual relationship with another human being' was the precise phrasing. Not that he cared, really...

As much as he hated to admit it, the Quinn-bitch had a point. He knew he was a stud who could get any chick he wanted, whenever he wanted, but the fact remained that he never had what his mom would call a, quote "healthy" unquote, relationship. He almost never cared what Quinn, or in this case his mom, thought. But he wanted to prove them both wrong. Prove that he had some human decency left in him and could actually show some affection that wasn't based on pure lust.

So he thought. Thought for a long time (nearly a whole day) and came to a solution. And that's why he was sitting and waiting in the unoccupied choir room after school, knowing Berry would be coming soon, even though he could be practicing football or cracking jokes with his friends. He wasn't exactly proud of it, but knew this had to be done.

She didn't show at first, and Puck's attention span had been seriously shortened since he gave up math nearly two years ago, so he got bored pretty quickly. He sat at the piano, plunking on some of the keys and wondering if they would somehow, magically, turn into a song.

Suddenly, the choir room doors banged open, and the small frame of Rachel Berry stood there, arms full of music and folders. She got one look at him at the piano, and her face split into a look of pure anger and shock.

"_What are you doing?!_" she stressed every syllable intensely, which was not good. Puck immediately jumped up and moved away while Rachel slammed her things down at a nearby table and worked her well-worn stalk toward him and the piano.

"Don't you, or your musically declined fingers, EVER touch the piano! Got it?" She yanked a white hankerchief with a gold star embroidery out of her skirt's pocket and wiped down the keys. As if he had some weird disease or didn't wash his hands or something.

Puck held up his hands defensively. "Hey, sorry. I didn't mean to soil your little piano. When have _you_ ever played it, anyway?"

Rachel silenced him with a look. She finished up cleaning the keys before sighing and slowly turning up toward the football player again.

"What are you even doing here?" Her voice got quiet, which was yet another not a good sign from Rachel Berry. Puck sighed, running his fingers through his mohawk.

"We need to talk."

Rachel tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and casually stood up, walking toward her music. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Puck rolled his eyes, but didn't push it. He had a goal in mind.

Puck took a deep breath, and continued, "I've actually been thinking about... things..."

Rachel whipped around to face him, an expression on her face of pure surprise. Perfect.

Puck walked toward her, slowly and one step at a time. "And I would just _hate_--"

Closer.

"--to leave things as we did." He was close. So close he could count every freckle on her face and every eyelash on her rapidly blinking eyes. She didn't move as he took his hand in hers, and Puck considered that to be a good thing.

"So what do you say?" He leaned in closer still, leaning toward her ear and whispering. Her breath hitched. "We could finish what we started, but in a more... _private _setting."

He felt her shudder next to him, and grinned. Oh he was so on his game today.

"Umm... uh, okay." she stuttered out, still blinking hard and looking down at her feet. Puck leaned back, still smiling.

"Great." he said at normal volume. "Tomorrow, after school. My place?"

Rachel seemed to be beyond squeaked-out words, so she just nodded. Puck merely grinned and sauntered out of the room, throwing a smooth "See you then." and a wink behind him.

That should teach the Virgin 'Bitchy' to question his relationship abilities, Puck thought as he walked toward his locker. When she sees him and Berry walking down the hallway tomorrow, hand-in-hand, shes not gonna have a choice than to admit that they were actually a couple.

Well, they weren't really a couple. Puck laughed to himself as he opened his locker. But the Rachel chick _thought_ they were a couple. And that would most definitely be enough.

Puck was feeling pretty good about himself that day. As he should.

***

**Review, please and thank you!!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey everyone! I'm ba-ack.**

**So sorry for the delay:( I'm writing another story at the moment, and this one has kind of been put on the back-burner. Hope you guys aren't TOO mad (hehe *nervous chuckle*).**

**Okay, okay put down those pitchforks. I hear you loud and clear. I'll try to update in shorter intervals, I promise:) **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee or its affiliates.**

* * *

"I'm sorry, but I don't buy it." Kurt took a minute from inspecting his nails to giving Mercedes a skeptical look.

"Look, I know what I saw! This is a hot damn mess." Mercedes said emphatically, looking troubled.

"B-But it can't be! Rachel and P-Puck??" Tina's fingers absentmindedly braided the blue streaks in her hair as she contemplated what her friend had said.

"I know: I didn't believe it either. But I was just walking to Biology class and all the jocks and cheerios started whispering around me, then Puck turned a corner, holding hands. With _Rachel._" Mercedes stressed her name, shaking her head.

Kurt quirked a lip, brushing his hair away from his forehead. "Sounds to me as if our little superstar Berry is having Noah Puckerman's love-child."

Tina laughed while Mercedes smacked Kurt across the arm, smirking. Kurt just rubbed the spot she hit him.

"Hey! Watch the cashmere." Kurt plucked slightly at his tight-fitting baby blue sweater. Mercedes rolled her eyes.

"C'mon guys, this is serious. If Puck and Rachel really _are _dating, then it's obviously some plot by him and the jocks to screw with her. Or glee club. We have to make sure that we're all safe with them seeing each other before this gets any worse."

Kurt and Tina exchanged a worried glance. In one simultaneous motion, they turned back to Mercedes and gave one nod, indicating that they understood. Mercedes nodded, satisfied.

"Okay, good. I'll hit you guys back." The friends exchanged smiles before turning around and walking in separate directions.

***

**P POV**

"-- and by 1970, Barbara Streisand was one of the top recording artists, with only The Beatles and Elvis Presley selling more albums--"

"Fascinating."

"-- also she performed a duet with Judy Garland, 'Happy Days are Here Again'. Now this was so fantastic because..."

"Noah." Rachel's voice suddenly became serious.

"Hmm?" Noah blinked, and turned to look over at her.

"You're not listening to me." She pulled her oh-so-famous annoyed face.

_God, Berry. You seriously expect me to listen when you talk about such boring things so quickly?? _"What? Of course I'm listening."

"Okay. Then how many albums did I say Barbara recorded throughout her musical career?" Rachel stopped in the middle of the hallway, slipping her arm out of Puck's elbow and crossing both firmly across her chest.

Puck stopped too and groaned while rolling his head back wearily. "Ugh! Jeez, Rachel you know I don't test well. Why do you think I pay Jewfro forty bucks a week for the answer sheets to Mr. Granberg's' history tests?"

Rachel uncrossed her arms and placed them firmly on her hips. "Noah: if you're going to be my boyfriend, then you're going to have to start listening to what I'm saying. Good-attentiveness is a sign of maturity and high self-esteem."

_Okay, whatever. Go ahead and quote therapeutic gems to me. See if I care. _"All right. I'm sorry." Puck pulled a face of such believable remorse, it would've made Jesus proud.

Rachel nodded, satisfied, and hooked her arm through his again. "That's quite all right. You're coming to glee rehearsals right now with me though, right? You promised me yesterday."

_God, don't remind me. _"Yeah. Of course." Puck internally rolled his eyes.

"Great." Rachel bubbled before she trekked forward, Puck still attached to her elbow, with her excitedly chatting once again about Barbara Streisand and other weird personal heroes.

Puck sighed under his breath as he listened to her talk without really listening. This whole "relationship" was only two days old, but Puck already had had enough. He had known Rachel Berry for years-- and yet the fact that she was such a hyperactive know-it-all seemed to completely elude him as he used the ol' charm on her in the choir room.

_What was I thinking?_

He barely had time to contemplate this before she was dragging him into auditorium. Besides, he was too busy bracing himself for the Homo-explosion that was just waiting to hit him in the face.

***

All of the glee students were gathered in the choir room, and were whispering behind their hands as they looked at the odd couple over their shoulders. But Rachel seemed to be totally oblivious as she prattled on and on:

"Okay, so this is just a sit-in. You don't have to participate if you don't want to, but it would be wonderful if you did. It's not as bad as you think. Finn's around here somewhere too, so if you guys want to chat, I understand. Mr. Schu usually likes to talk to us for the first ten minutes or so of rehearsals and then for the rest of the time we're practicing our song choices for sectionals. Of course, if it were up to _me, _we would be singing from the moment we entered the door. Possibly more so, because I honestly don't think practicing for an hour every other day is _nearly_ enough. I mean, I've been practicing a good 4 to 5 hours a day since I was two and a half years old--"

Luckily, Puck was saved from any more of Rachel's babbling as Mr. Schuester walked in.

"Okay, everyone take a seat!" The Spanish teacher walked in, his briefcase and sheet music in hand. He stopped at the piano, unloading his things as he looked at Puck with pleasant curiosity.

"Hey Puck. Surprised to see you here today."

Rachel immediately piped up from beside him. "I invited him to watch our rehearsal today. I hope that's all right, Mr. Schu."

Mr. Schuester chuckled and shook his head. "It's definitely all right. We would love to have you on the team, Puck, if you want."

Puck almost laughed at this remark. "I think I'll be all right."

Mr. Schu just smiled. "Well, either way. We'd love to have another tenor."

He picked up the sheet music he dropped off next to his briefcase and started handing it around. Puck stayed in his seat as he watched the few glee club members hop up and grab their staff paper. Puck sneered to nobody in particular, dreading the next hour he had to spend in this hellhole.

"Okay, guys. I'm really excited about this new piece. I think we should just dive right into it, what do you say?" The six students cheered, and Mr. Schu chuckled.

"All right, Artie: you're on bass. Finn, Kurt, Mercedes, and Tina: you guys are harmony. Rachel: you're singing lead. Places!"

Everyone moved to their proper place, and Rachel seemed to positively radiate with happiness as she made her way to the lone mic in the center of the choir room, glancing over at Puck with a smile on her lips.

The band suddenly started playing a song Puck recognized:

_I am unwritten,  
Can't read my mind  
I'm undefined_

_  
I'm just beginning  
The pen's in my hand  
Ending unplanned _

Puck was not really a fan of Natasha Bedingfield, but the way Rachel was singing her was, no question about it--

Amazing.

_Staring at the blank page before you  
Open up the dirty window  
Let the sun illuminate the words  
That you could not find_

_  
Reaching for something in the distance  
So close you can almost taste it  
Release your inhibitions  
Feel the rain on your skin_

Puck blinked, trying to find out what this all meant. Rachel was, argueably, one of the most annoying people on earth. But when she sang... everything seemed so bland compared to her voice. She was simply astounding when she performed, he almost couldn't believe it.

He realized he was staring dumbly at Rachel as she sang. His mouth hanging open and everything. Very smooth, Puckerman.

Puck listened to them for several more minutes before the song finished on a quavering note. Rachel, who had her eyes squeezed shut, snapped them open. As her eyes lingered on the ceiling, they drifted over to his and locked. She smiled slightly, and gave him a small wave.

Puck, still in a state of numb shock, gave a small wave back. He finally closed his mouth and blinked a few times, looking down at his hands.

For about a quarter of a second, he felt something weird fill inside his heart. His first instinct told him it was guilt, but he squashed that thought out immediately. There was no way he could actually feel bad about all of this.

He was Noah Puckerman: super-stud. He was above feeling emotions for gleek-loving freaks like Berry. Most definitely.


End file.
